Page 1 of College Hockey Bully

Chapter 1

Scarlett

“Someone’s dancing on my grave.”

Pausing from digging into my backpack, I frown at the curly-haired girl sitting next to me. “Huh?”

“Someone’s dancing—”

“I heard what you said, Tabs,” I reply, retrieving a fresh hair band from the bottom of the bag. Tabitha has said some crazy stuff since we started doing coursework assignments a year ago, but this is the most bizarre thing I’ve ever heard from her mouth. “Why would you even…”

My voice trails as someone clears their throat behind me. Professor Green has just entered our lecture hall and doesn’t take kindly to chatter while physiology class is in session. I direct my attention to the front of the class while sweeping my blonde hair back into a ponytail.

“It’s just this heavy feeling,” she whispers as I contemplate whether to wrap my hair in a bun. The likelihood of someone yanking my ponytail is quite slim these days, but I’m not sure I want to take that chance. “You know, like something’s about to go wrong.”

“No, it’s hunger. I told you to stop fasting.”

“Nah, that’s not it. Probably just the demon that followed me from the old mansion last night.” Tabitha glances around her. “It’s in here somewhere.”

“Damn it, Tabs,” I whisper back, glancing around me, too. “Loosen up.” She thinks it’s cool to dabble with the occult, but it scares the shit out of me.

Tabitha chews on her gum, amusement dancing in her gray eyes, a long bony finger twirling her wild brown hair as she watches my reaction. She gets off on creeping me out and I hate that she gets me every time.

“You’re awful,” I say, trying to sound firm, but a chuckle escapes. It quickly fades when I catch Professor Green’s hard stare. I grab my pen and start scribbling notes from the slide, bracing for him to throw me out.

Professor Green has had it out for me since I contested a B+ grade he gave on my first mock test. My answer regarding the integrated functions of the body was spot on, yet he gave me half a mark, which was unacceptable. As Hempton College’s next valedictorian, I need a perfect GPA.

Well, it’s not yet official, but I can’t imagine anything that would stand in my way. I have my speech written, edited and ready for the ceremony next year.

Tabitha suddenly sucks in a harsh breath, snagging my attention. Her blank stare is locked on the front of the room, where Professor Green moves back and forth, his dark, oily-looking hair bouncing on his slim shoulders.

“Tabs, you okay—?”

I gasp as she snatches my wrist, gripping tightly.

“What are you doing?” I whisper, pulling at her hold.

Her grip remains tight, that eerie-looking stare now trained on me. “Oh no…”

I certainly don’t appreciate how she’s looking at me. “Oh no, what?”

“Someone wants to dance onyourgrave, Scarlett. They’re getting ready to destroyyou.”

For a moment, I try to look away, but can’t. A weird sensation bubbles in my stomach and I pull my arm, getting it back this time. “Quit trying to creep me out, Tabs. It’s getting old.”

“This is not a joke,” she replies somberly.

Of all the people in my senior year to partner with me, it’s a girl who thinks she possesses the gift of prophecy. “Do you see me laughing?” I ask.

“Miss Pierce, I’m humble enough to admit you might know the material as well as I do, but do you mind giving the others a chance to catch up?” Professor Green drawls, his expression just as bored-looking.

All eyes turn in my direction and a few hostile stares are among them. I can almost read the thoughts behind those hateful glares:that fucking know-it-all traitor; why can’t she just disappear?

Is one of them getting ready to dance on my grave?

Tabitha shoots me an apologetic glance as I sink down in my seat, hot-faced. After making an enemy of our school’s hockey team and their fans last year, I’ve been doing my best to stay out of trouble. I’d like to keep it that way.

For the next hour, I shut everything out and focus on the lecture. A month and a half left in this class and I expect more of this behavior from Professor Green. After all, I did report him to faculty when he refused to reassess my answer and he’s still mad the dean ruled in my favor. It didn’t help when another professor gave me full marks for that same question.

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